The Slytherin and the Hufflepuff- A Negan & Blake Hogwarts Teachers AU
by KittyKatZorse
Summary: What if Professor Negan, ex-Slytherin, ex-pro Quidditch beater, started at Hogwarts as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch coach. And what if the one person that caught his eye was lovely, kind Madam Blake, ex-Hufflepuff and Hogwarts nurse. Harry Potter/Walking Dead crossover. Fluff/humor.
1. Chapter 1 - September

**September**

Negan was a Slytherin through and through.

From the first moment the Sorting Hat had touched his head he had known what he had wanted, and that was everything that Slytherin had to offer. People from there were cunning and powerful, and knew what they need to do to get what they wanted. And although some had called that type of play ruthless, Negan had called it winning.

And Negan had carried that same aspiration with him throughout his long years.

He had been head of the Slytherin Quidditch team. One of the best beaters Hogwarts had even seen, and soon after leaving school had quickly been headhunted by some of the best teams in the United States.

There he had found fame, women, and money. But that Slytherin badge had never left him, and not-happy with just working hard to make his way to the top, Negan had made bad choices, fallen in with the wrong crowd. And it was because of these damn stupid decisions that Negan found himself at the bottom, washed out and penniless, his good name tarnished.

But his life experience was what Dumbledore had known would make him a good fit among the teachers here. Negan was not by any means stupid and was a damn good wizard, and hopefully this was his chance for a fresh start.

Hushed whispers had floated around the Great Hall almost the moment Dumbledore had introduced Professor Negan as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch coach, amongst students and teachers alike.

Of course everyone knew his name, but he hoped they would see him as something more now than a washed up ex-beater.

Negan was now sat at the end of the long table beside Professor Flitwick, who was currently deep in conversation with the glittering Professor Trelawney about this morning's front page article in the Daily Prophet about rumours and fabled sightings of He Who Must Not Be Named.

The dark-haired man took a long sip from his golden goblet, feeling slightly bored. He had long finished with his plate of food and was half tempted to make a quick exit, not really liking these big gatherings, when suddenly a small green door to his right was pushed open, a heavenly-looking figure appearing around it.

Negan blinked a couple of times, to see a tall, blonde woman make her way up to the teacher's table. Her golden hair was pinned back from her pretty face, and she wore a set of smart red robes that cinched her in neatly at the waist.

And to his surprise and offering him a gentle smile as she did so, she stopped beside him and pointed to the free chair to his right.

"Is this seat taken?" she asked politely.

And Negan, sitting up in his chair a little, gave a shake of his dark head.

"Be my guest," he muttered with a wave of his hand, as the woman sidled into the seat at his side.

She tucked her chair into the table before helping herself to some of the delicious food set out before them, before finally turning back to him and offering out her hand.

"I'm Madam Blake," she said with a smile. "I work up in the Hospital Wing."

Negan took her hand giving it a firm shake, from here he noticed she smelled like strawberries and peaches making his mouth almost water at the scent.

"Negan," he said, before correcting himself with a cough. " _Professor_ Negan."

Blake nodded gently. "Ah, Professor Dumbledore said you'd be starting today," she murmured. "Well hopefully you'll get used to the place after a while. It can be a bit of a a maze at first."

But Negan gave a smug grin at this.

"Well…" And without another word he lifted the sleeve of his robes to reveal a large tattoo of the Slytherin coat of arms on his upper arm. "...let's just say it's kind of a home-from-home for me."

Blake's green eyes lingered on the tattoo and Negan noticed a sudden gulp that travelled quickly down her throat.

"Oh, I just presumed-" she shook her head, flushing slightly. "T-The accent-"

But the dark-haired man gave a chuckle at this. "Yeah I get that a lot. Well I moved to the States when I was eighteen and the accent kinda just stuck," he explained, as Blake nodded.

There was a moment of silence before-

"A Slytherin then…" she murmured, carrying on the nod, her eyes drifting back to her plate as she picked up her fork, but her words trailed off slightly.

Negan's chocolate eyes travelled over her face and elegant features, as an arrogant smile flickered its way onto his lips.

"And you're, let me guess..." he smirked, sounding a little mocking. " ...a Hufflepuff..."

Everything about her certainly screamed of Hufflepuff. She was nice, sweet, but certainly did not seem like your typical Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, and there was no way someone like her would ever have been a Slytherin. For Negan could smell another of his house from a mile off.

But something about the way he had said the name of the blonde's house, caused her to glare at him angrily, her face turning, at once, from gentle, to irritable.

"And what's so bad with being a Hufflepuff?" she said heatedly, scowling at him now. "Some of the greatest witches and wizards of all time were Hufflepuffs, Professor."

But Negan raised both his hands aloft apologetically, letting out a small bemused laugh.

"I didn' mean'ta offend you, Darlin'-" Negan began, but Blake cut across him quickly.

"Well just so we're clear, your Slytherin prejudices aren't welcome here," she snapped. "And if all you want is to muster up stupid rivalries and ridicule because of where someone belongs, then maybe you should go back to being a Beater, Professor."

And with that, Blake picked up her plate and got to her feet making to move seats.

But with a hard, lump forming in his throat, Negan stood too, cocking his head to the side, staring back at Blake apologetically.

He reached for her wrist, grasping ahold of it gently, causing her to stop in her tracks, as that gorgeous fruity perfume of hers danced into his nostrils.

"Peaches," he uttered out in a quiet voice, causing her eyes to meet with his. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean that to come out like it did. Sit, stay...please."

And Blake seemed to hover for a long moment, before she finally gave a nod of her blond head, sitting back down as Negan did the same.

The pair were quiet for a long moment, Negan letting her get in most of her meal in peace, still feeling guilty for what he had said to her.

Maybe Blake was right, maybe he needed to tone down the playful banter. Maybe this was not the time, nor the place for it.

"So..." he said after ten long minutes had passed, wanting to try again with her. "...you're a nurse?"

And at his words Blake's smile returned as she wiped the edges of her lips neatly of the edge of a napkin and nodded.

"Yhhmm," she said, her green eyes flickering up to his. "I took over from Poppy, Poppy Pomfrey, when she retired last December."

"So you've only been here-"

"Nine months, yeah," she nodded again. "I always loved this place, so it was a dream to hear Poppy had recommended me for the position."

"And you like it?" asked Negan with interest, taking another sip from his goblet before placing the cup back down steadily.

"I love it, the students are great, and Hogwarts is just so beautiful," she mused sounding happy.

Negan took her in. Her beauty really couldn't be rivalled, and despite how far Negan had travelled in all his career and how many witches he had met, he had never seen anyone like her before. For it wasn't just her looks, but the kindness and warmth she seemed to exude from every pore.

But Negan shook himself. He was here to teach, not to fall for some pretty Hufflepuff, despite how much he had longed all his life to find someone like her.

Negan almost laughed at his own thoughts now, glancing at the blonde again.

He almost wanted to ask whether or not she was half-Veela for making him think these things a mere twenty minutes after he had first laid eyes on her, but thought better of it.

The last thing he wanted to do was offend her again.

So he kept quiet, as Dumbledore stood and dismissed the students, sending them all up to bed.

The students filled out of the room in a flurry of excitement, just as Blake beside him got to her feet too, placing down her napkin neatly and smoothing down her dress.

"I should get going too," she said in a warm voice, a gentle smile upon her lips as Negan pushed back his own chair getting to his feet as well. "It was good to meet you, Professor."

And Negan couldn't help but give a smile of his own.

"Likewise, Darlin'," he uttered, as with one last look, Blake turned on her heel and headed away from him, instantly falling deep into conversation with Professor McGonagall as she walked.

But Negan gave a wide grin, noticing her glance back over her shoulder at him, smiling sweetly, before she disappeared away within the crowd.

Maybe this wasn't going to be such a bad year after all.


	2. Chapter 2 - October

**October**

It was the third time this week Professor Negan had broken a bone.

He had been foolishly showing students several extremely dangerous Quidditch moves, that Dumbledore would surely fire him for encouraging the kids to use in matches, when it had happened.

But the onslaught of pain was all worth it, just to give him the chance to spend time with _her_ again.

Negan hadn't been able to get her out of his head since that first day of term. And as September had slid into October, he had managed to see very little of the blonde woman. And so getting himself hurt might have seemed idiotic, but it was still a good opportunity to guarantee that his path would cross with the blonde nurse's.

So smirking to himself as he clutched his painful arm, Negan headed up the winding staircase that led to the Hospital Wing.

At the top he used his wand hand to shove open the large cherry doors ahead of him with a creak.

The hospital wing was almost deserted, save for a couple of sleeping kids settled in the beds at the far end of the expansive room.

The last of the pink tinged sky was just about visible through the large arched windows at that end of the room, drawing Negan's eye there. So much so in fact, that he didn't even notice a figure walk into the room, her green eyes on him.

"Again, Professor, really?"

Negan gazed around, that grin reappearing on his face as he spotted her there, Madam Blake, looking like a vision in blue today, with her blonde hair pinned up and back like it always was, with a white nurse's apron over the top, accentuating her slender waist.

Negan gave a small apologetic shrug.

"Guess I'm not as resilient as I used to be, Doll," he uttered.

But Blake merely smirked, shaking her head, moving close to him, and lightly touching his broken arm, causing Negan to wince in pain.

"Sorry," she murmured back, her eyes never leaving his robed-limb. "Hmmm. Looks like another shattered bone. You ought to be more careful, y'know."

But Negan's dark eyes flickered up and over Blake's face.

"Why, when I've got such a wonderful damn nurse to take care of me..." he growled back in a devilish tone, that caused the young, blonde woman to gaze up at him, a smile dancing its way across her lips.

"Well you're going to use my entire batch of Skele-Gro if you keep this up, Professor," she tutted gently, leading him over to one of the beds on one side of the room.

He saw her chance a glance up at the far end of the hospital wing, before helping Negan ease himself down onto the edge of one of the beds.

She stood before him like a vision now, pulling out her wand and waving it with a small flourish, as a large bottle sailed its way over to them from the cabinet behind her.

She plucked a stone goblet from the nightstand beside her and reached for the bottle, pouring the steaming liquid into it, until the cup was almost full to the brim.

"Here, drink. Seeing as it's only shattered, it should heal in twenty minutes or so," she muttered handing him the goblet. And as Negan reached out to take hold of it, his thumb gently brushed hers.

The dark haired man raised his eyes to Blake's face to see her flush a soft pink colour and pull her hand away, busying herself with smoothing down the bedcovers of the bed behind her.

And so Negan, hovering for a long moment, gazed at her, before he lifted the cup to his lips, draining it in one.

The Skele-Gro tasted damn horrible, and burned his throat as he gulped it down, but he was used to it by now, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and getting to his feet with a groan.

"Ugh, tastes like sh-" he began, before a scolding look from Blake over her shoulder stopped him mid-sentence.

"Shhhh," she murmured gently. "There are children here, Professor."

But Negan merely offered her a bemused frown in return.

"I've told you, you can call me Negan, Peaches," he chuckled.

But Madam Blake gave a light shrug standing up straight and coming to face him once more.

"Only when you start calling me Blake, and NOT the name of a fruit, Professor," she teased back, brushing past him, her hips sashaying lightly as she went.

And Negan was quick to follow her, earning himself another scolding look from the blonde.

"You know, you should be sitting down, resting," she uttered in a quiet voice, gesturing with her head back over to the bed Negan had just vacated.

But Negan merely grinned.

"And miss the Halloween feast?" he said incredulously, leaning back on his heels as he spoke. "Nu-uh, a damn broken arm ain't gonna keep me from that pumpkin' pie. It's just like the one I used to get when I was over in Massachusetts playing Quidditch for the Fitchburg Finches. And I ain't gonna miss that for the world."

Blake smiled at him gently, tilting her head.

"So, shall I see you down there, Darlin'? I can save you a seat," he said, stuffing his one good hand into his front jean pocket a little nervously.

But Blake's smile faltered a little as she shook her head. "I-I can't," she murmured, sounding a little sad. "Not while there are students up here who might need my care. Perhaps next time."

Negan gave a slow nod. And before he could say anything else to her Blake had hurried away up the far end of the wing to check on the sleeping children.

Leaving Negan gazing after her longingly, letting out a sigh as he disappeared back off through the large cherry doors and back down the winding staircase.

…

It was almost midnight by the time Blake made her final rounds of the day. The sick students had had their final doses of medicine and would be ok until morning.

And so making sure that all the windows were secure and there would be nothing left that would disturb her patients, Blake headed over to the door to make one last check.

But she stopped, frowning now, to find the large cherry doors surprisingly, left slightly ajar.

They certainly hadn't been like that an hour ago.

Blake pulled her wand from her pocket, holding it aloft as she reached the door, placing her hand silently upon the brass door knob.

With a sudden tug, her heart pounding, she pulled the door wide open.

But to her surprise, there was nothing there.

She rolled her eyes, about to mentally blame Peeves the poltergeist, but she stopped suddenly, noticing suddenly a small object that was sat on the floor, just outside on the small landing.

And Blake at that moment couldn't help but give a wide smile of realisation as she saw now exactly what it was….

...what was sitting, perfectly, on a golden Hogwarts crested plate outside her door.

A slice of delicious-looking pumpkin pie.

* * *

 **Are you guys liking this so far? Do you want me to carry on?**


	3. Chapter 3 - November

**Chapter 3 - November**

The second week in November was a windy one, the weather had turned far crisper and brown flurries of leaves were constantly being whipped across the Hogwarts grounds.

It was the perfect weather for flying, maybe not _against_ the wind, but with the wind on your tail, urging you forwards, it was ideal conditions for the first Quidditch match of the season.

It was Slytherin versus Hufflepuff, and although he shouldn't have been biased, Negan was pretty confident that Slytherin would thrash the Hufflepuffs easily.

The Slytherins were always just far more determined, cunning, and focused. The Hufflepuff team wasn't particularly bad per say, but they were up against the most fierce of competitors in this particular match.

It was a Saturday, and Negan was stood at the side of the Quidditch pitch, broom in hand.

His prized broom was one of the new model Firebolt Supremes. Very exclusive, VERY expensive, but the best money could buy.

The kids had swarmed him at first, all wanting to have a go on a broom used by the professionals, but Negan had waved them away, religating them all to the school's ancient old Cleansweeps and old-model Nimbuses instead.

It was Negan's job today to referee the match and as the two teams came out onto the pitch, there was a humongous roar from the crowd in the stands above.

It seemed like the entire school had turned up to watch, including most of the staff too.

And Negan had just made it to the centre of the pitch, giving the two team Captains a last minute reminder of the rules, as his eyes drifted up into the crowd ahead of him, a sudden flash of blonde catching his eye.

"And any foul play will be...errrr…." murmured Negan, his voice trailing off slightly as he caught sight of her there, in a seat next to Professor Sprout….

Madam Blake, with her hair swept back from her face, looking rosy-cheeked in the crisp autumn wind, with an oversized yellow and black Hufflepuff scarf wound around her slender neck.

She was laughing about something, her entire face lit up in a smile that caused Negan's heart to pound.

"Ummm, Professor?" came the voice of Simon Jones, Captain of the Hufflepuff team.

Negan at once shook himself, dragging his eyes away from the blonde woman quickly.

"Oh, damn, where was I?" he frowned. "Oh yeah, no foul play. You got that?"

The kids around him all nodded, eager to get on with the game.

"Alright," said Negan with a grin, puffing out his chest now with one last glance up at Blake. If she was here, Negan was going to show exactly what skills with a broom he still had left in him. "You all know the drill."

And with three shrill whistles, the game was begun.

The first twenty minutes was a spectacular start, and Negan smirked as Slytherin took their sixtieth point of the game.

But as the Quaffle was sent flying through the hoop, there came yet another groan from the crowds around them, obviously a little sick of Slytherin winning yet again.

Negan, zipping through the air and swooping low and dangerously, chanced a glance up at Blake to see if she was watching him.

But to his utter dismay, she was turned to Professor Sprout instead, the two of them deep in conversation, both looking a little crestfallen at the current match result.

It was then that Negan had an idea.

Negan blew his whistle, signaling for the teams to come in for a short half-time break.

And while the players flew to the ground, Negan rounded on the Hufflepuff team.

"What was all that out there?" he barked, frowning at them. "You'll be a damn laughing stock if you keep this up."

The players all hung their heads looking shamefaced at Professor Negan's words.

"We're trying our hardest, Sir," said the Hufflepuff seeker, a petite girl named Mahnoor, quietly.

And at this, Negan frowned again, blinking a little at he stared back at the faces of the sorry-looking kids.

Shit. This wasn't their fault. They had been playing their hardest, it was just that Slytherin were a better team today, better at handling these windy conditions certainly.

Negan gave a long sigh, dragging a hand over his stubbly face, before speaking again.

"Alright," he said in a gentler voice than before. "Just concentrate on that Quaffle and use that wind behind you to your advantage. Drive through their beaters and make sure you've got plenty of defence down the back end, you got it?"

The kids all nodded, looking brighter and far more courageous than they had been five minutes ago.

And just a few seconds later, the game had resumed again.

But this time, it seemed that Hufflepuff had taken on Negan's advice. And despite still not getting any goals in, they had not allowed Slytherin to either.

The crowd behind them cheered wildly as the Hufflepuff Keeper easily batted away the Quaffle from their hooped goalpost with the tail of his broom.

Negan grinned, once again glancing over to where Blake was sitting, and in that moment he noticed her eyes slide to him, offering him a cheery, delighted looking smile.

Negan's heart leapt inside his chest, feeling at once completely smug.

And knowing that her eyes were finally on him, Negan went all out to show off his flying skills, swooping low, diving, sailing over the heads of the players at a fantastic speed.

He let out another arrogant smirk as he angled his broom, doing a wide loop at the top speed is broom could go, earning himself a loud and impressive 'oooh' from the crowd, watching the ex-pro-Beater go.

But Negan should have know that his arrogance would get the better of him.

And sweeping out of the loop, he barely noticed the large Bludger flying towards him…

Negan was of course used to taking a hit, but the heavy ball caught him off guard, sending him sprawling from the broom, unable to hold on…

Negan tumbled swiftly to the ground, landing with a thud before anyone could do anything to stop him.

At once everything hurt, and Negan in a pained daze, rolled half-conscious onto his back, as sudden figures swam into view above him.

"Is he ok?"

"Someone go fetch Madam Blake."

If Negan had had the strength he would have protested, certainly not wanting the shame of being patched up by the woman he had so idiotically tried to show off in front of.

"Give him some air," came a gentle voice, as a sudden blonde figure appear blurred in is vision.

From here she looked heaven sent, as Negan frowned, muttering out the word "Peaches…" before passing out cold.

…

Negan groaned as he blinked his eyes open.

His body felt fine but he was certainly very stiff, aching all over, peering blearily around and finding himself in the dimly lit Hospital Wing, the sun now low in the sky.

Ugh.

Negan could have kicked himself for being so stupid.

Why the hell had he done all that to impress some pretty little Hufflepuff?

But as though on cue, Madam Blake's head appeared around the drapes surrounding his bed.

She gave a smile of relief, seeing he was awake, standing there in her blue matron's robes he hair looking a little dishevelled now after being outside.

But her eyes sparkled with something different now, almost looking as though she had been crying.

"You're awake," she said in a relieved-sounding voice, coming to perch on the edge of his bed, her expert hands checking the pulse at his wrist before she lifted her other hand, shining a light from her wand into each of his eyes in turn.

"Guess I missed the last of the match then?" he mused in a hoarse voice, clutching at his sore ribs.

But Blake just smiled at this and gave a wrinkle of her nose as she continued with her checks.

"'Fraid so…" she whispered back.

At her closeness, Negan couldn't help but feel his heart begin to pound, watching as Blake dropped her fingers from his wrist, giving a frown.

"Hmmmm, you're heart rate's still a bit high, but other than that, you seem fine. How do you feel? Any dizziness or nausea?"

But Negan shook his head, letting out a small huff.

Only if he counted the nausea he felt knowing how much of an ass he had made of himself in front of the entire school and the woman sitting before him.

"Nah, m'fine," he growled.

But Blake's eyes lingered on his for quite some time. And Negan watched as she bit her lip, looking suddenly sad.

"I'm really sorry, Negan," she murmured.

At her words Negan gave a frown.

"For what, Darlin'?" he said in a bemused voice. "For watchin' me make an idiot of myself in front of everyone? 'Cause that ain't on you."

But Blake worried at her lip now, not meeting Negan's gaze as she disappeared for a moment, before returning a second or two later with a large object bundled up in her arms.

"The staff did their best to repair most of it, but the wind…" she said suddenly placing the object onto his lap. "...i-it just kept on flying."

Negan frowned down now, staring at the broken broom in his lap, or at least what was left of it.

His damn Firebolt Supreme lay before him with a cracked handle and twigs that stuck out at all angles. And almost an expert in the field of brooms, Negan knew that his beloved broomstick would never fly again.

"I'm sorry," Blake repeated now.

But Negan shook his head, shifting the broom aside with a sigh.

"It's not your fault, it's mine," he growled out, dragging a hand down his tired face, as realisation hit him. "Shit. Looks like I'm gonna be on one of the school shit-heaps for a while. I can't afford another one at the moment, shit, I'm still paying this one off."

He patted the bristles end of the broom at his side, as Blake looked up at him.

"I-I though pro-Quidditch players just got given their broomsticks," she said gently.

But Negan pursed his lips.

"Yeah the pro-players do, but not washed-up bums like me," he said slowly, his eyes landing on his broken broom once more.

"Well if it's any consolation, you looked amazing out there. I mean I knew you could fly, but some of those moves…" she shook her head, sounding impressed which caused Negan's mood to lift brightly.

"Yeah?" he uttered in reply, as Blake gave a firm nod.

"Oh yeah," she said, before pausing for a moment and biting her lip again. "And well, I was thinking, that rather than you having to use one of the school brooms...well, maybe, you can just use mine instead. It's just sitting in my wardrobe gathering dust at the moment anyway..."

Negan gave the smallest of bemused frowns at her words, before he cocked an eyebrow in her direction.

"Never had you down for a flyer, Peaches…" he said in a low voice.

But Blake merely smiled, getting to her feet.

"Well I actually played on the Hufflepuff team when I was in school," she murmured gently. "Took me until my fourth year to pluck up the courage to try out, but I played as Seeker for three years. Still like to play now and again in my spare time, but haven't really gotten the chance in a while."

Negan grinned.

"Well aren't you full of surprises, Doll-face…" Negan muttered out, marvelling at her.

But Blake merely continued to smile as she disappeared again, reappearing less than a minute later holding a sleek looking broom beneath her arm.

And Negan's grin seemed to widen now as he took in the sight before him.

"Full of surprises," Negan repeated as Blake passed him the broomstick, the original Firebolt model, perfect in every way, and one of Negan's favourite racing brooms. "Damn. I used to play on one of these in my heyday. Look at that, perfectly balanced."

And with that, he balanced the full weight of the Firebolt on one finger, gazing down at it in awe.

"Always loved the original Firebolt. Had so many features the other models out there just lacked," he mused again, enjoying the feeling of it in his hand.

"Well if you love it that much, how about we head out and finish the match," Blake said in a sudden playful voice. "Slytherin versus Hufflepuff."

Negan shot another bemused frown in her direction, his chocolate eyes travelling over her face.

This was the last thing he expected from her.

"What, right now?" he asked holding in a chuckle. "You not got any kids in here to take care of?"

And with that, Blake gave a smiling shrug.

"Sadly, tonight you're my only patient. So why don't we call it physiotherapy," she uttered. "Only if you think you're up to it though."

But Negan gave a wide grin.

"Oh most definitely," he murmured in reply, watching as Blake disappeared back around the drapes once more.

"Good, then I'll be ready in five," she called back to him.

…..

 _"That's definitely Professor Negan."_

 _"Nah, you're wrong, that's Snape."_

 _"And who's that with him?"_

 _"I dunno, kinda looks like Madam Blake."_

 _"No way. Madam Blake can't fly like that."_

The whispers from the students trying to squint out of the ever-darkening windows at the two figures swooping and diving on the far off Quidditch pitch, were rife throughout the castle.

The pair had played until long after the sky had grown dark, faces rosy-cheeked from the autumn wind, both happier than they had been in a long time.

Negan had given Blake back her Firebolt to ride on, while he had taken an old Nimbus from the school broom closet.

They had chased each other, twirling and gliding through the sky.

And Blake had even declared a Hufflepuff victory, after she had caught the golden snitch earning herself one-hundred and fifty points for doing so.

And so thoroughly windswept and out of breath, the pair had made their way back up to the castle, denying any rumours to any student who asked about seeing them flying together for the following few days.

And even Negan had to admit, that that was one victory he didn't mind Hufflepuff taking over Slytherin.

* * *

 **Thanks to Kosongbird, EveFlower, cindisink and 3Emma for reviewing! :)**

 **Let me know what you thought? Would you like me to carry on?**


	4. Chapter 4 - December

Three days before Christmas, students and staff alike, awoke to find that snow had settled over the Hogwarts grounds.

A flurry of excitement filled the air that morning as the children packed up ready to head home on the Hogwarts Express, throwing snowballs each one another and hugging out their goodbyes as they headed towards the train station.

As always, very few staff and students remained at Hogwarts over the holidays, but one person who knew she had very little choice but to stay, was Madam Blake, who sat this morning, at her window up in the Hospital Wing, staring out at the children, as they made their way around the lake heading towards the castle gates.

She smiled sadly, letting out a sigh, her hands clasped in her lap.

Blake was muggleborn and her mother had died when she was very young. Her father on the other hand was indeed alive and well, but had practically disowned her after finding out, at eleven years old, that she was a witch.

School had been bittersweet for her for that reason, having to stay at Hogwarts each and every Christmas, and having to stay with an Aunt over the summer, who seemed to detest her equally as much as her father did, and who had made Blake earn her keep by working as a waitress and pot-washer at a muggle pub down the road.

But with no significant family to spend Christmas anymore. meant that this would be yet another year where Blake would spend the day alone. Of course she would be able to enjoy a nice Christmas dinner downstairs with the few staff and students who had chosen to stay behind at Hogwarts for the holidays, but the blonde nurse had always dreamed of a Christmas she could spend with the ones she loved, sitting around a fire, exchanging gifts, just like the festive Muggle movies of her childhood.

She gave a soft sigh now, shifting slightly against the sill she was sitting on, just as behind her there came a gentle _rat-a-tat-tat_ on the open cherry doors of the expansive room.

The blonde woman glanced, at once, over her shoulder, her face brightening into a smile as she saw Professor Negan cautiously enter the room offering her a wide grin in return.

"Hey, wasn' sure if you'd left already…" he said strolling into the empty room on long legs and glancing around, seeing all the beds empty.

Negan wore set of long black robes that billowed behind him as he walked, his long mahogany wand was in one hand, and the other he had tucked behind his back.

Blake got to her feet quickly, giving a shake of her blonde head.

"No...I'm uh…"

But blushing, she let her eyes drift away from his, not wanting him to know the truth about how she would be spending the holidays here, alone. And so she offered him a slightly fixed smile now.

"I've just got a bit of, um...a bit of admin to do before I get going…" she lied.

Negan gave a nod, walking the last couple of steps towards her and stopping less than a foot away, gazing down momentarily, before he lifted his chin once more, his hazel eyes meeting with hers.

"Well that's lucky, 'cause I was jus' swingin' by to drop off your Christmas gift," Negan said with a blink, suddenly producing a small present wrapped in red gift wrap from behind his back. "But you gotta promise not to open it until Christmas day."

Blake took the present from his grasp tentatively, a little blown away by this gesture.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Negan…" she said gently, with a small shake of her head, her cheeks flushing slightly.

But Negan cut cross her.

"'S'not much," he said smiling, showing off his line of straight white teeth to her.

Blake felt her mouth go dry, holding the gift close to her chest, searching for something to say as silence fell between the pair, each of them looking like they were waiting on the other to speak.

But after a long moment, Negan shoved his free hand into the front pocket of his jeans, rocking back on his heels a little awkwardly.

"Well I….err….I guess I'd best be off…gonna be apparating down to Edinburgh an' then I've got a Portkey set up an' ready to take me over to NYC to meet my brother an' stay with him an' his family over the holidays…." the dark-haired wizard said easily.

Blake gave a nod, smiling brightly.

"That sounds amazing…" she said in an earnest and kindly voice. "Well I hope you have a really lovely time. Bring me back a hot dog from the Big Apple!"

Blake genuinely was pleased that Negan would be spending the holiday season with family and people he cared about, just how it should be.

"Will do, Darlin'," he chuckled.

And with that he hovered, looking like he wanted to do something, but the moment passed as quickly as it had come.

And lifting his hand and running it down his beard, Negan gave a gulp, looking up at her once more.

"Merry Christmas, Peaches…"

And Blake couldn't help but smile back, her heart fluttering slightly inside her chest as she spoke.

"Merry Christmas, Negan…" she replied sweetly, wishing she had had the courage to kiss him on the cheek, but instead she just stood there as Negan did the same.

And it was only a moment later than the tall man had turned on his heel, leaving the room once more, but not before turning and pointing back to her when he reached the door.

"Don't open until the 25th, got it?" he said in playful, warning voce.

And Blake gave a laughing nod back.

"Got it…" she murmured as Negan offered her one last grin before disappearing out of sight, leaving Blake alone once more.

* * *

It was late on Christmas Eve, almost midnight, when Blake left her cosy office, unable to sleep.

She had on just a pretty pale blue dressing gown wrapped around her slender form, caramel hair up and slightly messy from the hour or so she had spent tossing and turning in bed, and a pewter goblet of hot cocoa clutched between her hands.

Blake padded on over through the large, empty, and unlit Hospital Wing on bare feet, making her way over to the window and resuming her spot there once again. Perching on the sill and staring out into the dark and snowy Hogwarts grounds beyond.

The snow was deep now and when Blake had ventured out earlier on this morning to drop off a batch of Pepperup Potion for Hagrid who had been suffering from a bad cold, the soft white power had almost reached her knees. And she had been glad to reach the castle once again, pulling off her mittens and feeling her hands still icy cold beneath.

Blake blew on the steaming cocoa she grasped between her hands, before plucking her wand from her pocket and lighting the nearest lamp, filling this far corner of the room with a soft and warm light.

There was a Christmas tree just in front of her that Blake had set up, decorated with colourful baubles and tinsel. And nestled snugly beneath it, in its red wrapping paper, was the only gift Blake had been given this year. One that she would cherish deeply no matter what it was.

She sighed a little as the clock near to her chimed, telling her of course that it was midnight…...Christmas Day.

She knew she should be happy, but it was hard to be when she was yet again lonely on what should have been one of the most magical and wonderful times of year. And she hoped with all her heart that someday it would happen for her. That she would be sat around the fireplace, drinking cocoa with the ones she loved, instead of being in this drafty room alone with nobody to share her love with.

Blake closed her eyes sadly, leaning the side of her temples against the glass and allowing a single tear to drift silently down her cheek, as she listened to the twelves chimes of the clock.

And it was only when the last one rang out, did a voice across the room suddenly speak.

"Merry Christmas, Peaches…"

Blake snapped her eyes suddenly open, staring dead ahead.

Had she fallen asleep? Been dreaming? Because surely that voice couldn't have been here…

But the blonde woman turned her head slowly, staring in the direction of the door, only to see Professor Negan stood there, as real as anything.

He took a step forward, dressed in black robes and a long, green, ancient-looking Slytherin scarf thrown around his neck, which he slowly unwound as he walked further into the room, a smile lingering on his bearded lips.

"Negan?" asked Blake, her face softening as she remained on the sill, staring over at him in disbelief. "What are you doing here? I-I thought you were in New York visiting your brother?"

But Negan just gave a sigh, pulling a face as he walked towards her.

"Ahh, well I _was_ …." he commented in a low voice, his eyes fixed on hers. "But, y'see I had this funny sorta feelin'...like I should be spendin' Christmas here instead..."

Butterflies swarmed inside Blake's stomach as he came to stop in front of her now, lifting a hand out towards her to take.

And take it Blake did, getting to her bare feet, her goblet still clutched in her other hand as she stared up into his eyes.

"Why didn' you tell me you weren't goin' home for the holidays Peaches?" he said in a whisper, his hazel eyes searching her face

And at his words Blake gave a gulp, shaking her head and allowing her eyes to fall to the space between them.

"Because it wasn't important-" she began.

But suddenly, she felt Negan's calloused fingers on her chin, drawing her gaze up to his once more.

"Not important? Darlin', you're more important to me than anyone else in this goddamn place," he said in an imploring voice. "An' there is no way in hell I am lettin' you spend Christmas on your own, stuck up here in this damn tower."

Blake felt her bottom lip quiver, and before she could stop it another tear slid its way down her cheek, splashing onto the stone floor at her feet.

No one since her Mum, had ever cared about her whereabouts at Christmas like this. And Negan's words alone meant more to her than anything.

And Blake felt him lift his hand from her chin and swipe away the tear track from her face.

"Will you stop cryin' if I let you open your gift?" he tried gently, nodding over to the tree just over his shoulder. "I told you you could open it on Christmas day, an' well technically it's been the 25th for..oh...I dunno...a whole five minutes at least."

Blake gave a warm smile, biting down on her bottom lip and giving a small shrug.

Negan lowered his hand from her cheek, running it gently over her shoulder and down her arm affectionately, before he turned around and moved over to the tree scooping up the package and bringing it back over to her.

Blake took it gently from him, placing her goblet down onto the windowsill behind her, as Negan perched himself onto an empty bed just opposite from her, leaning forwards and cupping the green scarf in his hands between his knees.

Blake smiled as her eyes flickered up meeting his for a brief moment, before she slowly tore off the wrapping paper, only to reveal a small dark blue suede box beneath.

Blake couldn't help but look up at Negan, once more, before he offered her a nod, encouraging her to continue.

And the blonde woman's heart fluttered slightly, as she opened the box to reveal a beautiful golden nurse's fob watch inside.

It was decorated with the most gorgeously delicate gold filigree, and on the watch face itself, was a moving map of the indigo night's sky, complete with shooting stars which streaked across tiny picture.

Blake had never seen anything so beautiful, and ran a gentle finger over the watch before turning it over in her hand…

...only to see a small inscription written on the back…

" _Madam Blake…_

 _...For mending more than just the broken bones of this old Beater…_

 _...Negan"_

And Blake with glassy eyes filled with tears, stared up at the dark-haired man, noticing that he was on his feet now, standing before her once again, wand in hand now, pointing it above their heads...where the smallest amount of snow was now falling around them..

And not only that, but above their heads, Negan had charmed a large, curling sprig of mistletoe that sparkled gold in the warm lamplight, causing Blake's breath to catch in her throat as she took in the sight.

Her eyes drifted slowly back down to Negan's, who was staring back at Blake now, looking far less arrogant and cocky than he usually did. Instead, his eyes were filled with an honesty and a burning that Blake had never seen before...not from anyone.

And, now…

...here…

...it was like only the two of them existed in the world...everything else disappearing around them in the midst of this perfect moment.

But both Madam Blake and Professor Negan should have known that perfect moments don't often last at Hogwarts.

And as Blake took a step towards him, her fingers drifting up and over the robes at his chest, her lips moving gently up towards his, there came a loud cry from the hallway outside….

"Madam Blake!"

...suddenly behind them, the door to the Hospital Wing burst open, and in fled two fourth year students, both looking sweaty and very much out of breath, carrying a third student on a invisible stretcher between them.

"Madam Blake, its Daniel!"

The two adults broke apart quickly, Blake's cheeks flushing a deep scarlet, as the charm Negan had been using to conjure up the mistletoe and the snow disappeared at once.

Blake placed down the fob watch onto the bed beside them before hurrying over to the three boys.

"What happened?" said the blonde woman rushing over, as Professor Negan stood there lifting a hand and scratching the back of his neck a little sheepishly, looking forlornly after her.

Blake stared down at the young boy with scruffy blonde hair as he writhed around, before her, fitting and foaming at the mouth.

"I dunno," said one of the other boys worriedly, helping Blake guide the sick boy over to one of the beds nearest to the door. "...we were all just staying up late to see in Christmas, me Daniel and Henry were playing Gobstones, and I offered him one of my peanut puffs and-"

"Shhh, it's ok," soothed Blake gently, moving the two boys aside and waving her wand.

In an instant Daniel had calmed, settling back against the bed behind him, looking now like he was asleep.

"He's just had an allergic reaction by the looks of it," said Blake calmly. "Let me go fix him up a potion and he'll be as right as rain by morning."

She glanced up at Daniel's two friends.

"You two should get going back to your common room. But you did the right thing bringing him up to me," she said patting the nearest boy on the shoulder, just as her eyes drifted up behind them, to see Negan standing there, looking a little glum.

Blake reddened and looked away.

Perhaps that was their moment gone for good...but Blake knew there was no point in dwelling on things out of her control.

She had patients that needed her care. This was her job and she had to remember that.

She heard Negan give a loud sigh, making the two boys beside Blake jump, neither obviously having noticed Negan's presence in the room until now.

"C'mon, boys," he said in a slightly grouchy, yet sympathetic tone. "Let's' get you both back to the Gryffindor Common room. Then it's lights out. You hear me?"

"Y-Yes, sir…" stuttered the two boys almost in unison as Negan, with his hand on both their shoulders, steered them from the room, Blake's eyes following him as he went.

Leaving Blake alone with her patient.

And a little while later, when Daniel had taken his potion and was sleeping peacefully, Blake moved back over to the far side of the room, picking up her now-cold goblet of cocoa, ready to pour it away, but she stopped, noticing the the golden fob watch Negan had given to her sparking in the lamplight.

She picked it up tracing over the inscription with her finger and smiling, before extinguishing the lamps and heading for bed...

….more than ready for her first Christmas in a long, long time, that she wouldn't spend alone.


	5. Chapter 5 - January

Chapter 5 - January

It was a freezing cold day, and after a wonderful Christmas break, the students and teachers were all back and in the midst of a brand new term.

Lessons were in full swing again, and as much as Negan missed being out on the Quidditch pitch during this cold and snowy time of year, he had been throwing himself into Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, trying to come up with new, fun and exciting ways for the kids to learn all there was to know about to defending themselves against curses, hexes and all manner of dark magic.

Negan tried to convince himself of course that concerentaring so hard on teaching was a good distraction from thoughts of Madam Blake, after things during the early hours of Christmas morning hadn't all gone as planned.

Negan had hoped that his gesture of love and his romantic, thoughtful gift would of course make the blonde nurse fall head over heels in love with him.

But his plan hadn't worked and since the pair had almost kissed, there had been nothing but a few stolen glances between the pair much to his dismay.

They had spent the best part of the holidays in each other's company, but in between Blake having patients to take of, and Negan running errands of his own, given to him by Dumbledore, any alone time seemed to be snatched away from them, just like Christmas Day had been.

And now, knowing that now term had begun again, Negan knew that it would likely get harder to find any free time to get the chance to spend with her.

But he had come up with a plan, that would see him through today at least.

And so this morning dark-haired Professor was five minutes into his Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with third year students, just before lunch, when when there came a soft knock upon the classroom door.

He glanced up to see a gorgeous blonde head peek around the door tentatively, before the tall and elegant figure of Madam Blake smiled at him and cautiously entered the classroom, causing all the kids to look up and over towards her.

"Alright," said Negan who was stood behind the desk, clapping his hands together and grinning widely from ear to ear, as she moved over to him.

She looked like a vision today in her pale yellow robes, her caramel hair pinned back as it always was, with her cheeks flushing slightly as her green eyes landed on his.

And she wasn't the only one to redden slightly, as Negan gave a small cough, trying to right himself, before continuing.

"Today we've got a guest with us who's gonna help us demonstrate the power of using Healing Magic to defend and protect ourselves against dark curses," he continued. "I'm guessing' you all know Madam Blake?"

He looked up and watched as Blake offered a kindly smile back at all of the present students.

But whispers suddenly flooded the classroom, amongst a few quiet giggles here and there, as all the students began talking behind their hands, looking between the two teachers as they did so.

" _Have you seen the way he looks at her..."_

" _Yeah, they are soooo into each other…"_

" _I heard some fifth year say he'd seen them snogging behind the pumpkin patch…"_

Negan noticed Blake's smile almost instantly disappear and her cheeks flush even more, as she purposefully avoided his gaze, her eyes instead flickering down to the floor.

The dark-haired man at once gave a furious huff, letting out a sudden sharp whistle that seemed to echo across the small room.

"That's enough!" he growled, causing the entire room full of kids to silence almost immediately "Y'all want to gossip, then you can all do it in detention this tomorrow evening helping Filch clean out that nasty smellin' mold that keep poppin' up down in the dungeons."

There was a groan from all the students in unison as Negan spoke again.

"No? Then you can all zip-it an' listen to everythin' Madam Blake here has to say for the rest of the class," he warned. "An' if I even hear a damn whisper outta any of you that doesn't relate to what she's talkin' about, then I've got pair of dashin' marigold rubber gloves with your name on it."

From that point on, the entire year group didn't dare speak. All of them waiting for Madam Blake to instead.

The blonde woman gave a nod, and began, but despite her warmth and the smile that lit up the room, her eyes did not seem to quite meet with Negan's now.

They spent the rest of the lesson getting the kids to practice a couple of basic healing spells and a couple of defensive ones to protect against dangerous hexes.

And while the students practiced on one another, Madam Blake and Professor Negan moved around the room, making sure all of the children were using the correct techniques and pronouncing the incantation correctly.

"That's really good, Aled," Blake said sweetly. "Perfect."

"Nope, you'll be takin' their damn eye out if you keep wavin' your wand like that, Francis!" Negan barked to another student.

He backed up slightly, pointing his wand and demonstrating again, as the student copied using the correct wand flick this time.

But Negan's felt himself barrel into someone standing directly behind him, his spine colliding with theirs.

He turned instantly to see that it was Madam Blake, looking slightly ruffled.

"Sorry," she mumbled out apologetically, her big green eyes meeting with his, as she lifted a hand, brushing back a loose tendril of hair from her face.

And Negan felt his chest restrict slightly at their proximity. As close now as they were on Christmas morning…

"Yeah, sorry, Peache-" he said without thinking, but he quickly shook himself. "...I mean um, Madam Blake."

There was a sudden snicker from the kids sat nearest to them as Negan gave a hard gulp, before scowling and glaring at the giggling students.

"Did I say you can stop practicing?" he growled, causing them all to turn hurriedly back to their partners, as Blake blushed again, sliding past Negan without another word.

The students did really well, and by the time class was over, they had all mastered the techniques and healing spells Blake had showed them.

She stood at the front now, a little distance away from Negan, her hands clasped together in front of her chest, beaming widely.

"I'm really proud of you all," she said in a warm voice. "You'd all make great Healers. Mungo's would be proud to have you."

Negan glanced up at her, a smile dancing over his lips before he cleared his throat and dismissed the class, as they left for lunch hurriedly, in a flurry of robes and bags, filing out of the room, the last student, closing the door behind them with a snap, leaving the two Hogwarts teachers alone at last.

A silence fell between them almost at once, as Negan lowered his eyes to the ground momentarily, before glancing up and over to where Madam Blake was stood, rubbing her lips together.

"You….uhh...you think the kids have been talking about us?" she said in an almost laughing voice, but there was a hint of something else behind it, something slightly unsure-sounding.

But Negan tutted and gave a shrug of his shoulders easily.

"Pfft, ain't really anything _TO_ talk about…" he said sucking his teeth.

But he regretted his words, and his arrogant veil, and uncaring attitude, the moment Blake looked his way, a sad sort of look passing quickly over her beautiful features. She instantly gave a visible gulp, dropping her eyes from his and smoothing down the front of her yellow robes.

"Oh...yeah...of course…" she murmured, looking all of a sudden very flustered.

Negan gave a blink, tilting his head and staring at her as she made a move towards the door.

"Peaches, I-" he began, making to stop her…

...but suddenly the door the small classroom was flung wide open, and in ran a rather rotund seventh-year boy with speckled brown hair and a ruddy face.

"Professor! You need to come quick!" he cried, paying no attention to the sad looks on both adults' faces. "...t-the Quidditch pitch...i-its on fire!"

Negan stared up in alarm at the boy's words.

And exchanging a quick look between him and Blake, both teachers snatched up their wands and fled the room at once.

They were shoulder to shoulder the entire way down there, both running as fast as they could, passing staff and students, all frantically wondering what was going on. They made their way through the hallways and out of the castle, taking the long and steep path down towards the Quidditch pitch at a run.

By the time they arrived there, Dumbledore, Hagrid and McGonagall were all already there, all helping to extinguish the flames that were now spread across the grassy pitch itself, the two wizards with their wands and Hagrid with a bucket of water.

Negan and Blake soon got to work helping, and soon enough, to Negan's relief, the fire was out.

Quite a crowd of students had gathered behind them now, all interested and worried in equal measure about who had started the fire.

"DAMN BLASTED HOOLIGANS," roared Hagrid, puffing out his chest angrily. "WHEN I FIND OUT WHICH ONE OF THOSE RUDDY KIDS DID THIS-"

But Dumbledore just shook his head, cutting over Hagrid with a mere look.

"I fear, Hagrid, that this was not the work of a careless pupil," he said in a knowing voice.

And to Negan's surprise he turned to face him for a short moment, before looking back towards Blake and McGonagall.

"Madam Blake, Minerva, would you please escort the students back up to the castle. Oh and Hagrid, can you go and see if Professor Sprout has anything that might repair Quidditch grass in a hurry. We want the pitch back in good working order for the Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor match at the end of the month."

"Aye, Headmaster," replied Hagrid with a nod.

Negan looked at Blake who was stood at his side, feeling her reach out and gently touch his arm affectionately, before moving off with McGonagall, heading back up toward the castle, shooing the students with them as they did so.

Dumbledore waited until it was just the two of them left on the pitch before, turning back to Negan.

"Walk with me Professor," he hummed, and of course Negan did as he was asked, falling into step with the headmaster.

"So…" said Negan conversationally scratching at his short beard with a single digit and nodding his head over towards the untidy, singed grass. "..if you don't think it was kids that did this-"

But Dumbledore cut across him simply, moving up and into one of the nearest stands and beginning to climb the step upwards as Negan followed.

"Then who else would come here, in broad daylight, on a January morning and set our Quidditch field on fire, just to leave a message?" finished Dumbledore.

But his words caused Negan to frown, looking Dumbledore's way.

"A message?" he asked with a deep, unnerved look.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Dumbledore sighed. "I had indeed hoped that things like this were behind us and that times had changed. That we had grown as a wizarding community."

Negan stared at the Headmaster now, trying as hard as he could to figure out what he was getting at.

"For we've all dealt with prejudice for as long as I can remember, and longer even that that I'm sure," continued Dumbledore with another heavy sigh."...but now I fear that groups, like those popular decades ago, have unfortunately reared their heads again, crawling out of their dwellings to cause fear, and intolerance, and bigotry towards those who the rest of us would welcome with open arms. For they have more than enough of a right to be at Hogwarts as we do."

But Negan shook his head, his frown deepening. They were high now, having climbed almost to the top of the stand that overlooked the length of the Quidditch pitch.

"Albus, what the hell are you saying?" Negan asked, staring the headmaster's way.

But all Dumbledore did was point down back down behind them with his hand….

...and as Negan turned, he saw it, there, written in the scorched grass….

 _ **DEATH TO MUDBLOODS. WE ARE COMING.**_

Negan parted his lips in shock and utter horror.

And yet Dumbledore, with a single wave of his wand caused the letters to vanish.

"We must not tell the children, or the other staff for that matter, for I want them all to feel safe here" said Dumbledore firmly. "But I know you will help me do what we can to help protect Hogwarts….and its residents"

And Negan gave a nod of agreement now, clenching his fists at his sides. Knowing that he would never let anything happen to anyone here, not under his watch.

And lifting his chin, Negan spoke, understanding what was expected of him now, as his hazel gaze drifted back down to the pitch once more.

"Oh I will, Albus," he said in a steady voice. "I will."

* * *

 **Well...what did you think?**

 **Not sure if I'll carry on updating this on here as I'm getting no reviews for it.**


	6. Chapter 6 - February

February

January slipped slowly into February in a flurry of bitter wind and frost.

Hagrid had been out each and every morning since the snow had cleared, salting the pathways and ensuring that Madam Blake didn't have to deal with yet another pupil breaking an ankle or an arm because of the slippery conditions (so far alone this month there had been four!).

But despite the harsh weather and the cold conditions, there was an excitement and a buzz amongst those in the wizarding community. For only a week or two ago, after rumours of unhappiness within the Ministry, a snap election had been announced, meaning that three new candidates had put themselves forwards for the position of Minister for Magic.

Two of the candidates were of course well-known backbenchers, both of their policies they now put forward, rife with bad habits and pompousness, often seen by the other Ministers of old.

But most of the excitement, instead hovered, around the new candidate, Gavin Randall, who had emerged from almost nowhere.

He was young by comparison to the other candidates and his policies seemed fresh and new and fun. His slogans and taglines were marvelously catchy and when he spoke, people stood up and took notice. He was change and everyone seemed to be looking forward to that.

The whole country seemed to be supporting him, with his red and blue banners and flags seemingly everywhere.

Even the Hogwarts students, far too young to vote themselves, were still seen sporting Gavin Randall badges and covertly sticking up posters everywhere around the castle, much to Filch's dismay. Most likely due to the fact that Radall had proposed some fun policies that snared the young voters, such as free chocolate frogs for all, and to reduce the price of Firewhiskey by at least thirty percent.

It felt like a new age was dawning for wizards and witches, and almost everyone signed themselves up, registering to vote, completing a routine census, giving their parents names and their dates of birth, to do so

It was all everyone seemed to be talking about, although come the second week of February, this was shadowed somewhat at Hogwarts, by the announcement that the next Hogsmeade trip would be taking place on Saturday the 14th of February.

Valentine's Day.

Talk of what everyone was going to wear and who planning to take who on dates to the small town just beyond the Hogwarts gates, filled the corridors and common rooms.

And even Professor Negan, who normally would have rolled his eyes at any mention of Valentine's Day, was putting together plans of his own.

Things had settled somewhat at Hogwarts since the day of the fire on the Quidditch grounds, with Dumbledore and Negan putting all sorts of protective spells on what felt like every inch of the castle and its grounds,

But since then, there had been nothing. No more messages. No more threats. And no more discussion on the matter. Both likely hoping that it was silly one off occurrence.

For it was hard to think that anyone in this day and age could share THOSE kind of severely old-fashioned prejudices against Muggle-Born Witches and Wizards

But Negan had found himself slightly distracted from thoughts of this anyway, his concentration now instead, fully on Valentine's Day.

Things between him and Blake had been a little off this last few weeks if truth be told, and Negan felt almost sure she was avoiding him.

He wondered if it was because of his choice of words after the lesson they had spent together.

But no matter, Negan had a plan to change all that.

The ex-beater had in fact been wandering out of the Great Hall when he had noticed the sign-up sheet for the upcoming Hogsmeade trip and had immediately spotted that right at the top was Madam Blake's name written there in elegant cursive, for she had signed herself up to be a chaperone for the day.

And in that moment it was as though a lightbulb had pinged above Negan's head, his eyes twinkling as he hurriedly grabbed a spare quill and signed his name just below hers and a couple of other staff members' who would be heading out there too.

And so, today was the day.

Valentine's.

It had turned out to be an overcast day, with a bitterly cold wind that that whipped at the children's pink faces as they made their way down towards the castle gates, wrapped up in scarves and mitten and hats and all talking animatedly with each other about what boy was planning on asking what girl out, or which Gryffindor was going to ask what Hufflepuff for a snog in the alley next to Zonko's.

Negan had bundled himself up in a long black coat, digging his hands deep into his pockets as he headed down the steep slope, jogging a little to catch up with a familiar face walking just ahead of him in amongst the masses of Hogwarts students.

He could see her now, dressed in a pretty powder blue coat that fell to her knees, her chin buried in the oversized knitted yellow scarf that was wound around her neck to deflect the wind a little.

Negan jogged forwards, out of breath, by the time he came to stop at Blake's side.

"Hey, fancy seeing you here..." he said into her ear, trying to seem cool despite the fact that he had practically run the length of the Hogwarts ground to catch up with her.

Blake at once looked up, a bright smile appearing over her gorgeous features, as they fell easily into step with one another.

"Hey!" she said looking a little surprised to see him. "W-What are you doing here?"

Negan lifted a hand, trying to tame his ruffled hair.

"I'm uhhhhh...chaperonin'..." he said easily.

But this earned him a bemused look from Blake.

"I didn't think this would be your kind of thing….spending time with the students out of hours…" she said with a teasing wrinkle of her nose.

But Negan merely grinned back, giving a shrug of his broad shoulders.

"Just thought it might've been fun, an' hey, what else is a guy like me gonna do on Valentine's Day?" he said with a small scoff.

But although Negan had thought Blake would find this kind of self-deprecating humour funny, instead, the blonde woman reddened slightly, turning away from him, giving a visible gulp, as she detached her eyes from his.

There was a moment of silence between the pair, where both of their eyes awkwardly landed on the sight of two fifth year students snogging right in front of them, tongues battling as though their life depended on it.

Blake took a wide-step to avoid barreling into them as Negan did the same.

"So…." the caramel-blonde nurse said brightly, after a moment or two had passed. "You know who you're gonna be voting for in the Ministry elections next week?"

The topic was on everyone's lips at the moment, so it wasn't a surprise it had come up so early in their conversation.

"Yeah….I mean I wasn' convinced about that Randall guy at first, but that damn policy on Firewhisky really got me impressed" said Negan with a chuckle, earning himself a smile from Blake.

"Yeah I like him too," she hummed. "He's got great things to say about Healers and is offering all sorts of funding for apprenticeships for young wizards who want to start a career in Healing Magic…"

Negan nodded.

"Yeah...he's got some great ideas. Kinda almost sounds too good to be true, right?" he said with a half-laugh.

"Yeah, almost," Blake laughed back. But strangely, their memory of this thoughts, faded almost the moment they had uttered those words.

Hogsmeade was a buzz with Hogwarts students by the time Negan and Blake arrived there.

Children spilled out of every shop and of course Madam Puddifoot's tea shop. And Negan, to his annoyance, was forced to dodge out of the way of students as they ran past him in a flurry of excitement.

He noticed Blake smirk at the look of his face as they passed yet another snogging couple, third-years this time.

"Jee-suz, I gotta admit, these kids hav' got balls. I never did anythin' like that in my day, on the goddamn street too, in front of everybody…" he tutted, causing Blake to raise a playful eyebrow in his direction.

"Aww late bloomer were you?" she asked teasingly, as Negan merely rolled his eyes smirking. But he didn't answer her.

Their pair had walked half the length of the Hogsmeade high street now, and Negan glanced up at the sign hanging above their heads, as Blake came to a stop just outside the door to the Three Broomsticks pub.

"You...err...fancy a drink?" said Negan with a smiling, yet questioning frown.

But at once he noticed Blake redden at his words, her eyes falling from his, just like they had en-route here.

"I…...ummm….actually…." Blake said in a slow voice, looking like she was trying to delicately search for the words. "...actually...I have a date."

At once, it was like Negan's had suffered a hard blow to the chest, winding him completely,..

"Oh, I err, that's cool…" he muttered.

It was a lie.

In fact it was anything but cool.

But all this, well it was his own fault. He had had plenty of opportunities since Christmas to ask Blake's out on a date of their own, but he had chickened out at every opportunity.

And she had obviously presumed after so long that he had lost interest in her. And that wasn't her fault..

"So...uhh...who's the lucky guy?" he asked, putting on a brave face, although inside, his stomach was churning with jealousy.

"Um, well apparently he's a freelance photographer for the Daily Prophet" nodded Blake, tucking a wisp of caramel hair back behind her ear. "It's a blind date," she explained. "My friend set us up, so…"

Negan gave another nod, as silence fell over the pair again, broken only by the shouts of students as they ran by.

"Listen," said Blake looking at him and offering him a warm and beautiful smile. "He's not supposed to be here for another twenty minutes or so. Do you want to come inside, keep me company for a bit?"

Negan rocked back on his heels for a moment, stuffing his hands ever deeper into his pockets.

"I dont know…" he said, wincing and giving his nose a small wrinkle.

But his look earned him an elbow in the ribs from Madam Blake.

"Come on," she said pleadingly. "I'll buy you a butterbeer."

And at this, Negan's face lit up.

"I guess I could stay for one drink, just until your "date gets here," he groaned in a playful manner, as Blake grabbed his hand, entwining her fingers with his and pulled him into the pub.

It was cosy in here, and to Negan's relief, the only students in here were a couple of seventh years who were sat near the bar talking in sickly sweet voices, their eyes on nothing but each other.

Blake with her fingers still clasped within his, pulled Negan over to a table at the very back of the pub, letting go of his hand when they had reached it, to unfurl her scarf and remove her coat. But he couldn't help but let his eyes linger on her for a long moment as she fussed with her hair and smoothed down her gorgeous pale pink dress, before picking up her bag and fishing in it for her purse.

"So, a butterbeer ok, or do you want something stronger?" she asked, as Negan dropped onto the cushion covered bench that overlooked the entire room.

But he gave a frown.

"Here Darlin, let me get these-" he began, but Blake cut across him with a smile

"No Negan, I told you I'd get these," she scolded before disappearing off toward the bar.

Five minutes later she was back, placing two steaming mugs of Butterbeer down onto the table in front of Negan, before, to his surprise, instead of taking the seat opposite she moved around and sat next to him instead.

"So I can keep a eye out for my date," she explained, causing Negan's pleased smile falter slightly.

But he knew he needed to snap out of this.

Blake was going on a date and there was nothing he could do to stop it. All he could do was savour this moment of the two of them together for as long as it lasted in the meantime.

The pair of them talked,and laughed, and Negan almost made Blake snort Butterbeer out of her nose with his impression of Professor Snape.

And by the time they had each almost drained their mugs, Blake was turned into Negan, giggling, their knees brushing beneath the table, listening to him tell her the story of when he won ten thousand galleons at a wizarding casino, only to lose it all again to a sweet-talking Veela con-artist.

"Yeah apparently it was all some big scam," he said with a groan. "Appricanly the American Magical Congress had known about it for a long time and picked her an' this damn croupier up a short while after."

"So they were in it together?" asked Blake in shock, shaking her head.

"Yhhhmmm," he hummed. "Coulda' done a hell of a lot with that money too."

But he looked up seeing a knowing smile on Blake's face.

"What?" he asked her, grinning.

But Blake just bit her lip. "Well I know you're gonna hate me when I tell you this, but my great-great aunt was actually half-Veela," she said pulling a 'sorry' face.

Negan's eyebrows shot up into his hairline and he leaned forward, placing his arm around the top of the booth behind her.

"I knew it!" he said pointing at her with his other hand. "I told myself the first time I saw you...damn that gal has got some Veela in her I'm almost sure of it."

Blake blushed a little, her eyes flickering down between them.

"Yeah, well I looked into my family tree a few years ago and wanted to see if there was any more magic in my family," she explained. "Both my parents were Muggles so I know it didnt come from them…"

Negan suddenly stopped, blinking hard, his mind going back to the words he had seen burned into the grass back at Hogwarts.

' _DEATH TO MUDBLOODS. WE ARE COMING.'_

"So you're-"

"Muggle-born, yeah," the blonde woman said with a smiling laugh. "Why? Does that surprise you?"

It didn't surprise him actually. For why would it?

The old-fashioned and terrible idea that somehow Muggle-born people were any lesser witches and wizards that the Pureblood ones, was a preposterous notion.

For Blake was so very talented at what she did. She was kind and beautiful and was one of the most intelligent witches he had ever met.

She had likely graduated from Hogwarts with far better grades than most too, for to become a Healer you needed to get the highest grades in the most difficult of N.E.W.T examinations.

"Doesn't surprise me at all…" he said with a grin, his eyes soon drifting away from hers and coming to land on the empty mug she was setting down. "What DOES surprise me though, is how quickly you downed that damn Butterbeer!"

Blake gave an immediate laugh at this, flushing slightly.

"What?" she said playfully, glancing at her wristwatch to check the time."I've only been drinking it for-"

But it was like in a split second all of the light had fallen out of Blake's words, the smile instantly disappearing from her face.

"...an hour," she finished, blinking up and gazing around suddenly.

"My date...he was supposed to have been here forty minutes ago…" she said sounding crushingly disappointed.

Negan could see the cogs turning inside her head, her brain coming to all sorts of silly conclusions about why exactly her date hadn't showed up, or if he had, why he hadn't come over and introduced himself.

He watched as a gulp visibly trailed it's way down her throat.

"No matter…" she said quietly.

But Negan could tell that it did matter.

He offered to buy her another drink but Blake politely declined, instead telling him they should probably leave and check on the students, hastily putting her coat back on.

But out on the street,that was a still a flurry of children moving to and fro, Blake lifted a hand to her head.

"Listen, I've um...I've got a bit of a headache, I think I'm going to head back to the castle early," she said avoiding Negan's gaze, and looking far more than a little disappointed now, her shoulders slumped and Negan was almost sure he could see tears in her green eyes. "Minerva and Pomona are around and can help you round up the students….s-sorry…"

And with a shake of her head, clutching her coat around her, Blake walked quickly away, leaving Negan standing there, outside on the blustery Hogsmeade High Street...alone…

It was late afternoon, and the sky had darkened significantly, by the time Blake had finished shedding all of the tears she had in her.

She stared into the mirror hanging above the mantel in her cosy office at the far end of the Hospital Wing, and tutted at her reflection.

She knew she was foolish for getting upset over someone she had never even met, but somehow that rejection and embarrassment hurt more having Negan there with her.

Madam Blake liked Negan, more than she would probably care to admit out loud. And ever since they had almost kissed on Christmas morning, she had hoped that maybe they would get the chance again. But after helping him out with his lesson last month, Professor Negan had indeed made it very clear that there was nothing going on between them and likely never would be.

And so Blake had hoped to move on, allowing her friend to set her up with a guy she knew, but perhaps all this had proved that dating, well, it just wasn't for her. For it was hard enough to get out of the castle as it was.

As a nurse, Blake needed to constantly be on call throughout the year, only having two months off over summer to herself, and she very much doubted even that would be enough time for her to find someone and fall in love. Knowing that having family was just a far off dream for her. Always had been, always would be.

Blake wiped at her tear stained cheeks fixing a smile onto her face.

Dinner would be soon and despite not feeling that hungry, she didn't want the students and teachers to start questioning why she wasn't there.

And so the blonde nurse was just about to fix her hair and prepare to head downstairs, when all of a sudden there came a soft knock upon the ajar door just over her shoulder.

"Knock knock, jus' came to check if you were feelin' ok, Peaches?" came a sudden husky voice that Blake recognise immediately.

She hurriedly swiped at her face once more for any stray tears, before turning around and smiling at him brightly.

"Hey…uhh, yes, much better, thanks," she said gently, seeing Professor Negan stroll into the room, carrying two bottles of chilled Butterbeer in one hand, and a small white box in the other.

He sucked at his teeth, glancing down at the items in his hands and smirking."Oh, 'cause I thought...if you were still feelin' under the weather...you might prefer a picnic up here instead with yours truly, instead of all that noise downstairs. Damn kids drove me crazy on the walk back up to the castle just now."

Blake's heart swelled at this, a lump appearing in her throat.

Had he really made this gesture just for her?

Negan moved across the room now coming to stop at Blake's neat and tidy desk, placing down the bottles and the white box.

"So, I've got chocolate cake or carrot cake, both from Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. So take your pick," he said opening the box with ease, before using his wand to remove the cork from each bottle of Butterbeer easily, handing one to her.

Blake smiled almost un-surely, biting her lip before taking a step towards him, her cheeks flushing.

"Both maybe?" she tried, earning herself an eyebrow raise from Negan who shot her a look.

"Damn, well I know you had a sweet tooth, Peaches, but-"

But Blake laughed, cutting across him.

"I MEANT, can we _share_ both?" she muttered, with a playful roll of her eyes.

Five minutes later the pair of them were just like they had been back at the pub. Laughing, talking, joking, perched on the edge of Blake's desk beside one another, eating forkfuls of cake and drinking their deliciously ice cold butterbeer straight from the bottles.

When they were done, full of sugar and chocolate and such lovely things, Blake placed down her fork next to her bottle and turned to Negan.

"Thank you," she said gently. "For everything, Negan. You've made yet another crappy Valentine's Day better…"

And Blake meant that, she really did.

They were both quiet for a short moment, both of them smiling and both of them happy, Blake forgetting her woes if only for a little while.

"Listen," said Negan finally, placing his bottle of untouched Butterbeer down onto the desk beside him and getting to his feet, moving around to face her, closing the gap between the pair of them, his hand reaching for hers. "For the record, if I was gonna take you on a date on Valentine's Day there is no way on this earth that I would stand you up."

Blake gazed up at him now, her green eyes searching her face as Negan's hazel ones did the same in return. His thumb brushed over her smooth knuckles affectionately.

"You make my damn days brighter, Peaches…" he croaked in an earnest voice, smiling suddenly. "And hey, part-Veela or not, there is no way I wanna see you heartbroken over some asshole you've never even met."

Blake smiled back at this.

And in that moment it was as if the entire world had stilled, as Negan stared down at her.

Everything going quiet…

...time stopping for them…

Blake blinked up at him now, watching Negan frown with purpose, as he lifted a hand down to her cheek, his face hovering just an inch above hers.

And the blonde nurse could only close her eyes gently, reaching her hand out for him and coming to rest her palm flat over his racing heartbeat.

"Happy Valentine's day, Peaches," she felt him murmur into her mouth...

...feeling his lips finally meet with hers, in a gently and very, very welcome kiss.

Their first.

…..


End file.
